A single mother will receive $50 million in a recent medical malpractice settlement.
A 29-year-old single mother was recently awarded $101 million by a Cook County jury, bringing an end to a medical malpractice lawsuit she filed against West Suburban Medical Center. The mother, Tequila Snow, filed the suit shortly after her son, Gerald Sallis Jr., was born in 2014 with “profound brain damage.” According to her suit, “the hospital staff at West Suburban Medical Center did not perform an immediate cesarean section on Snow, despite test results indicating that the unborn child was not moving.”
Despite the handsome settlement amount, Snow is expected to receive half of that because the parties involved previously agreed to “cap the amount prior to the verdict,” so Snow will receive about $50 million. When commenting on the recent settlement, Snow said, “After five very long years, I am relieved that the lawsuit on behalf of my son is finally over.” In her suit, she pointed out that her son cannot “walk, speak or feed himself and requires round the clock care, which his mother can now provide.”
Keith Hebeisen of Clifford Law, one of the attorneys representing Snow, also chimed in and said that Gerald had been living temporarily at Misericordia, “a care community for people with developmental disabilities, where he has been receiving excellent care.” He added, “It’s a great place, but it’s no substitute for mom.” Snow’s son has been living at the care community because Snow couldn’t provide the constant care her son needed while simultaneously supporting her family financially. Hebeisen said, “It broke her heart to have to put him there, but it’s such a great place, so she could live with it as a temporary thing.”
Fortunately, now Snow will be able to bring her son home and fully provide the round the clock care he needs. Hebeisen added:
“She was very overwhelmed when the verdict came back. She is going to be able to fulfill her wish of having Gerald back home. She fought very hard to be able to bring Gerald home…He’s the happiest when his mom is around. He lights up like crazy when his mom is around.”
How has the hospital responded to the settlement? Well, so far Tenet Healthcare has issued the following statement:
“While we believe the care provided under the circumstances was appropriate, all parties agreed to a settlement prior to the verdict that will support this patient and her family.”
Tenet Healthcare owned West Suburban when Gerald was born. Now West Suburban is owned by Pipeline Health.
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